Excluded
by Jinx-neko
Summary: Ryo Takashi has never know her family. So when she decides to take a trip to Japan on a whim, will she get in way over her head? And who exactly are the Sohmas? What are they hiding? And are they connected to her?


Okay, so here's the deal. I was rereading this the other day and I realized that everything moved way too fast. So let me apologize to those who like the other version but I've decided to start this story from scratch. The plots essentially the same, I just changed how some of the events played out.

**Disclaimer: **Same old same old. I don't own and all that depressing stuff.

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Prologue**

The heat was scorching the dreadful summer in New, Jersey. But at that moment not a lot of people cared. For that day was the day of a wonderful woman's burial, and they were more concerned about grieving than the heat. Well at least all but one.

"Tori-kun, can we leave? This heat is killing me," a teen with shoulder length silver hair complained in a dramatic manner. The other teen beside him rolled his sea-green eyes and sighed.

"No Ayame," he muttered back in Japanese, keeping his voice low so as not to bother the mourners. Ayame huffed out a breath in annoyance, and then cheered up slightly as the congregation broke up, some going to stand over the freshly plotted grave, and others to share condolences.

"Now can we leave?"

"Come now Aya, give Hatori a break," other teen with inky black hair spoke up in an amused voice. Hatori sighed and turned away from the two, his eyes scanning the crowds.

"Well Gure, I really have no idea what we're even doing here," Ayame continued on. "Even though she was my aunt, I barely knew the poor woman."

"Well, we're not really here for just her," Hatori finally spoke. The two boys turned to look at him in confusion.

"Then why are we here?"

"That, Shigure, is why we're here." Confused Ayame and Shigure turned to look where Hatori was pointing, and now that they could see the girl they could also hear her hysterical crying.

"NO!!!! Bring her back! Give her back!" the small girl of only four wailed, tears pouring unrelentlessly down her face. Several people nearby were trying to calm her down but she didn't let them, and they seemed to be giving up.

"Ugh…Tori-kun? Who is that girl?" Ayame asked hesitantly as the girl let out a high-pitched shriek.

"That would be your little sister. Your aunt has been the one caring for her." Ayame turned to face Hatori with a skeptical expression.

"Tori-kun, you of all people should know that I don't have a little sister," he spoke in a condescending tone. Hatori frowned and shook his head.

"Ayame, you really are fickle. Not only do you ignore your brother but you forgot about your sister." The mixture of shame and disgust could be heard clearly in the teens tone. Ayame frowned and turned to look back at the crying girl.

"Alright, fine," he agreed. "Since you are the one saying it I will believe you." Then he began to strut toward the girl. He stood before her without saying a word, letting her calm down. And when she was down to hiccups her bent down to her level.

"Now, now, a cute little girl like you shouldn't be crying like that," he told her, his translation the English nice and smooth. Still hiccupping the girl rubbed at her eyes before blinking owlishly at Ayame. Clear violet stared into molten amber before the girl finally spoke.

"W-who are you?" she asked her voice soft and smooth compared to the shouts from earlier. Ayame smiled at her.

"I'm Ayame Sohma," he introduced. "What's your name?"

"R-ryoka Sohma."

"What a very pretty name," Ayame complemented. "Now, Ryoka, why don't you tell me what's wrong." At Ayame's suggestion tears began to well up in Ryoka's eyes.

"T-they put momma in the ground!" she wailed. "And t-they won't b-bring her BACK!" She burst into another round or tears. Ayame sighed and patted the girl on the top of her head, marveling over the salt and black pepper color to it.

"There, there," he muttered. "It'll all be okay."

"No it won't! I'll have to live with daddy, and I hate him!" Ayame looked around awkwardly, hoping no one heard that before turning back to the girl. If possible she was crying even harder, and for the first time Ayame felt sympathy for the child.

"Alright, how about this," he suggested, and when she was back to hiccupping he continued. "I live in Japan. I'll be going back home soon, would you like it if I took you with me?" Ryoka's eyes widened comically and she nodded her head.

"Will you please," she begged. Ayame smile brightly, patting her head once more.

"Of course." Ryoka eyed him suspiciously before sticking out her hand, her pinky extended.

"Then promise." Ayame chuckled before curling his own pinky around hers. "Now repeat: I pinky swear that I will never break my promise."

"I pinky swear that I will never break my promise." Ayame repeated and they shook on it.


End file.
